John s



(No' Model.)

S. CONSTANT.

FANNING MILL.

Patented Mar. 1, 1887.

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JOHN S. CONSTANT, OF KIRKPATRICK, INDIANA.

FANNHNG=MELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3553,5453, dated March 1, 1887.

Application filed March 22, 1886. Serial No. 196,080. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

] 1n, so that on each side a \I-shaped notch, m is Be it known that I, JOHN S. CONSTANT, a I made between opposite vanes, which notches citizen of the United States, residing at Kirkpatrick, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fanning-Mills; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a vertical central section. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the fan. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the blast-tube G.

This invention relates to improvements in fanning-mills; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of devices, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A is the hopper, secured to the top of the mill-frame A, which is of the usual shape and construction and B is the dischargeopening at the bottom of thehopper, as shown. The mill-frame is supported on the legs a (tlll the usual manner.

S S is the cylindrical fan-casing secured to the frame, and having the central openings, .9 s, in its ends.

Pis an inwardly-projecting air-passage from the fan-casing, formed by the floor of the latter inclining upward and inward, and the portion above the floor standing inward from the point T, as shown.

M is the fan, the shaft on of which passes through the openings .9 s, and is journaled in proper bearings, m, secured to the frame A. The said shaft is either rotated by means of a crank-handle or has a pulley secured upon it, and is thereby run by a belt from a pulley secured to any suitable source of power.

a a are the blades or vanes of the fan, pref erably four in number. The said vanes have their outer edges in close approximation to the inner surface of the casing and have their inner edges secured to the shaft on for their entire length. The vanes are equidistant and have their side edges cut inward toward. the shaft are bisected by the shaft on and lie adjacent to the openings .9 s in the casing.

The above construction is for the purpose of producing a more constant and equable draft and of preventing counter-currents as the air escapes through the inwardly projecting extension 1? and enters through the openings 8. As the air enters said openings the inclined edges of the notches m leave space for the entrance of the air.

X is the shaker-frame within the main frame and hung thereto by cords or straps or x, so as to move laterally. Attached within the shakerframe and moving therewith is the air-compressing chamber H, the roof and floor of which converge to the exit Q. The inner and larger end of said chamber is connected to the extension 1? of the fan-casing by the bands 0, of leather or stout cloth, the edges of which are secured at the points pto the extension and at the points 0 to the air-compressing chamber by rivets or other suitable means. By this means no air can escape between the extension P and the air-compression chamber.

Secured within the shaker from above the air-coinpressing chamber is a screen, 0, upon which the contents of the hopper discharge. The said screen inclines downwardly from a point above the fan, and the grain in passing down from the hopper falls through the meshes of the screen 0 upon an inclined plane or chute, E, while the straw and other refuse pass off the end of the screen through openings D in the sides of the main frame and fall on each side of the machine. The grain after falling on the chute E descends thereon and passes through the opening F into the blasttube G, affixed to the main frame A, a partition, cl, preventing the straw from falling onto the chute and entering the said blast-tube.

The blast-tube G has a central vertical portion, in the lower end of which the opening F is situated, an outcurved open upper end, and an incurved lower end which partially enters into the outer and smaller end, Q, of the aircompressing chamber, The said lower end is recessed, so as to form a shoulder, I, into which recess the floor of the air-compressing chamber enters, its end resting against the shoulder.

Secured within the shaker-frame below and,

ICO

preferably, parallel to the floor of the air-compressing chamber is the screen L, so that the grain descending from the blast-tube G can fall thereon from within the shoulder I, and, after descending thereover and being freed from dust orrefuse, fall upon the inclined plane or screen L, secured to the mill-frame, and thence fall into any proper receptacle placed below.

K is a grain-detent or stop bar secured to the lower surface of the floor of the air compressing chamber adjacent to the shoulder I.

v The grain in passing out of the blast-tube G strikes against the said bar, and is thereby prevented from being driven violently down the chute L.

It is evident that as the air-current flows steadily from the fan through the extension P, and thence into the narrowing chamber H, it increases in force and will be strongest as it passes out of the end Q of said chamber into the blast-tube G. In the blast-tube it meets the grain cleared of straw and chaff, which pass through the openings 1), and drives the lighter grain out of the upper end, It, of said receptacle, the heavier grain passing down over the screen L and the chute L, and thence out of the machine.

Fig. 2 shows a modification in which the construction of the fan and fan-vanes is retained, but the blast-tube G is dispensed with. In this modification the screen 0 is shortened and screens W W are added to conduct the grain from the hopper onto said screen. lhe air-condensing chamber H is also shortened, so that its end Q is vertically below the end of the directing-screen W, and both the said chamber and the extension I? of the fan-casing S are directed upward. This modification is especially adapted to separate the chaff as the blast meets the grain at the point Y, where it passes off the screen W onto the screen 0, and drives the chaff out of the grain.

Both modifications are identical in principle, and either can be readily attached to any of the common forms of fanning-mills at small expense. 7

Having. described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a fanning-mill, the combination of the frame, the screens, the fan-casing having the extension, the fan, the air-compressing chamher, the bands 0, connecting the larger end of the said chamber with the extension of the fan-casing, and the separating blast-tube having the opening at its upper end, the intermediate opening, F, and the opening I at its lower end, substantially as specified.

2. In a fanning-mill, the combination, with the main frame, the fan, the fan-casing having the extension 1?, and the screens L and L, of the air-compressing chamber H the connectingbands 0, the blast-tube G, and the grain-detent bar K, all constructed and arranged substantially as specified.

3. In a fanning-mill, the combination of the frame, screens, the fan-casing having the ex tension, the fan, the compression-chamber, and the bands connecting the extension of the fanchamber with the compression-chamber, substantially as specified. 1

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN S. CONSTANT. Witnesses:

J. R. DEBoLr, R. R. LEONARD. 

